Nothing screams “Mac-A-Thon” louder than a stack of yummy, light and fluffy pancakes, oozing with butter and maple syrup for breakfast. Add on freshly cut fruit and a sprinkle of locally grown macadamia nuts and you have one of the best post race meals imaginable.
Each year and on Easter Eve, hungry racers set themselves up for a gorge of a feast when arriving at the quaint canoe house situated near the pristine waters of Honaunau Bay. Just saying the word “Mac-A-Thon” is enough to get one’s salivary glands pumping because everyone on the island knows on Easter Saturday you’re in for the best macadamia nut pancakes in town.
In its 34th year, the Keoua Canoe Club’s Mac-A-Thon 10K and 5K races continues to thrive and flourish as Hawaii Island’s oldest and most well known footrace. According to Race Director Kawika Spaulding, Saturday’s numbers hit a record turnout of 248 participants, topping previous best of 219.
“This is the largest turnout in Mac-A-Thon history,” Spaulding said. “It was pretty exciting and I can only expect it will get bigger. I think getting the word out earlier, having online registration, and seeing a huge surge in running events over the last few years made a difference.”
Spaulding, who immediately got hooked into running after completing his first Mac-A-Thon event in 1982, has been the treasure of the Keoua Canoe Club since then and said he’s casually held the title of race director for the past 34 years.
“It’s something that I enjoy and love doing to help out the club,” he said. “This race is very special to me as it’s held in the Honaunau area, my area of interest.”
As one of the most well-known barefoot runners in the State, Spaulding who holds numerous ultra-running records and has completed the Honolulu Marathon as a barefoot runner an astounding twenty times, lives by his reputation of engaging in some of the most incredible endurance adventures.
“This is my ninth year in a row that I’ve hiked to the summit of all three major mountains on the island in one trip — Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai,” he said. “I would begin in Hilo and end in Kona. There was one year that I missed going up Hualalai because I just couldn’t carry my dog to the top. But it usually takes five days from start to finish and it’s a really good workout. But I love it, it’s my way of honoring Pele.”
With his passion for running and continued loyalty to the Keoua Canoe Club, it was only fitting to see Spaulding blowing into a massive conch shell to kick-start the perennial 10K and 5K races.
Ultra marathon runner, Billy Barnett of Volcano, wasted no time in easing his way to the front of the 10K pack, to take the overall win in a fabulous time of 36 minutes and 8 seconds.
Barnett used the event as a last tune up before entering the inaugural Ultra Fiord — a 100-mile international trail running event in the beautiful southern end of Chilean Patagonia in South America on April 16.
The race for second turned out to be a fight to the finish between Kailua-Kona’s Kenneth Stover and Hilo’s Michael Sullivan. In the end, Stover kicked it into another gear to outsprint Sullivan, 38:03 to 38:06, respectively.
“This year was the first time since 1998 that six men broke 40-minutes in the 10K,” Spaulding said. “Also the guy who placed sixth (Keahi Mendoza), broke Matt Lindsey’s 19-and-under record set in 1988 with his time of 39:41.”
In the women’s race, Hilo’s Anna Baker Mikkelsen claimed the women’s crown with a great time of 43:46. While similar to the men’s second and third place finishes, Kailua-Kona’s Tawnie McDonald battled it out with last year’s 5K women’s champion, Heather Scarbrough. McDonald prevailed with her time of 45:40 to Scarbrough’s 45:44.
Scarbrough’s husband, Tai Liko, started the 5K on a fast and furious pace determined to improve upon his 2014 second place finish, leaving the rest of the field on high chase. But over the short 3.1-mile course, Kealakekua’s Ben Torres patiently waited before making his move, eventually taking the lead from Scarbrough to win in a superb time of 18:28.
Scarbrough kept it close, finishing second in 18:40, with Jeff Kirk of Santa Cruz, California rounding out the men’s podium with his time of 19:10.
For the women, Holualoa’s Laura Ankrum proved to have the speediest legs over the 3.1-mile route, taking the win with her time of 23:02. In second was Samantha Monette from Prince Albert city in Saskatchewan, Canada, with a great time of 23:42.
According to Spaulding, Monette was the youngest female (10-13 age division) to place second in the history of the women’s 5K event. Rounding out the women’s top three was Honaunau’s Lehua Prevetz in 24:13.
With the 34th running of Keoua’s Mac-A-Thon proving to be yet another successful event for the canoe club, Spaulding says he is already looking forward to next year’s race.
“I’d like to see it continue to be a solid event where people from all over can look forward to getting a taste of aloha while helping us kick-start our fundraising for the canoe club. This is what it’s all about – us working together in harmony to help us move forward as one.”